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<title>Did Christmas Come Early for Han Ji Pyeong? by inthe99</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27930070">Did Christmas Come Early for Han Ji Pyeong?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/inthe99/pseuds/inthe99'>inthe99</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Start-Up (Korea TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:20:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>722</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27930070</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/inthe99/pseuds/inthe99</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>I would have added this to the epilogue of Episode 16, just for our Han Ji Pyeong to have a new love interest as he starts to move on from Seo Dal Mi.<br/> <br/>With a slight reference to <i>Hotel Del Luna's</i> Jang Man Wol, IU cameos as an orphanage owner Han Ji Pyeong meets for the first time. What an adorable encounter this should be!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Han Ji Pyeong/new love interest</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Did Christmas Come Early for Han Ji Pyeong?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In his thick, brown winter coat, Director Han Ji Pyeong arrives in front of a large, old house in the heart of Ilsan. Light snow begins to fall. Inside his car, he calls Mr. Hong to tell him he's early for their appointment with the owner of the orphanage.  <i>Gosh, I'm too excited.</i> He fixes his forest green turtleneck in front of the mirror. The orphanage, <i>Angel House</i>, holds a yearly thanksgiving event during Christmas with the orphans. Ji Pyeong, with his newfound love of paying it forward, just had the most wonderful idea for the orphans. He's excited to meet with Mr. Hong and the owner to discuss this.</p><p>
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</p><p>Mr. Hong answers his call, and in an urgent and frantic voice, he apologizes for he will be late. He had to rush his girlfriend to the hospital. Ji Pyeong suddenly becomes worried, and Mr. Hong tells him she took the stairs down in her office building, and missed a step. "Don't come, it's alright. I can manage. Take care of your girlfriend first." Mr. Hong thanks him profusely, then quickly advises him that the owner just lost both of her parents, the real owners of the orphanage, in an accident 3 months ago. She will be prickly, because aside from her grief, the current manager of the orphanage has suddenly gone MIA, leaving her to manage it. As if things couldn't get any worse, her younger brother is in deep grief, not speaking to her, sleeping during the day and escaping at night to God knows where. </p><p>But news of Director Han's big investment in Mr. Hong's project has given her something to look forward to, he adds. Ji Pyeong quickly takes note, and senses that Mr. Hong is close to her when he cautions him that her personality is a little feisty. </p><p>Quickly saying their goodbyes, Ji Pyeong gets out of his car, strides towards the front door of the orphanage, knowing that he must carefully choose his words. After pressing the doorbell, no one answers. He waits. Around 15 seconds pass by. He is about to ring it again when he hears a woman screaming, irritated and angry. And then a man's. Then he hears a thick airy, curdling sound. <i>Was that a fire extinguisher?</i> He becomes curious. More screams. Of kids, this time. He tries to peer in the thick glass lining the door to see what is going on. Suddenly the door opens. </p><p>"Oh, <i>gapjagi.</i>" Ji Pyeong is startled, as he faces a woman, 30ish, with a wide purple hat on her messy blonde wig, and a fake moustache that looks like it's about to fall on her lips. On her soft cheeks are small red circles, but fading. Someone attempted to remove them, but failed. His eyes are wide, surprised again by the image in front of him. </p><p>"Oh, <i>annyeonghaseyo</i>. Are you Director Han? Mr. Hong just called and said you were already here. I'm Jang Na Byeol." She bows slightly, and shakes his hand. 

</p><p>"I'm sorry I wasn't able to answer the door right away. I'm sorry for looking like this. We're understaffed, the kids are acting crazy, and one of them just lit the sofa on fire." She says all this swiftly and with a forced smile. "Your timing couldn't be more perfect." He hears sarcasm in her voice. Ji Pyeong just felt thorns on his chest.</p><p>But she suddenly realizes her rudeness. "Oh, <i>joesong habnida.</i> That was rude. I must say thank you for your generosity, Director. Please, do come in." She says all this without even batting an eyelash.</p><p>Still taken aback, Ji Pyeong blinks twice. He was about to give back the 'thorns' by putting this woman in her place. But he pauses. He reigns in, gains his composure back, and steps inside. 

"It's perfectly alright. I should be the one apologizing. I'm an hour early." He smiles at her. She smiles back at him. Her fake moustache falls to the floor. Her face reveals a charming smile and a hopeful gleam in her eyes, but Ji Pyeong senses her struggle to show it.</p><p><i>I know how that feels</i>, he thinks to himself.</p><p>.<br/>
.<br/>
.</p><p>[Camera frames them sideview. Kim Seon Ho on the left, the door open behind him. IU on the right. The intro of <i>Future</i> by Red Velvet suddenly plays.]</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Since this is just meant to be part of the epilogue I wanted in the last minute or two of episode 16, it's a short piece. I just wanted to give uri Han Ji Pyeong a clear chance to move on. And I thought, why not with a new love interest?</p><p>I hope you enjoyed this short story! I  won't be continuing it since I just wanted to give the ending a sense of justice somehow. I would love to hear your comments about it. Thanks!</p><p>#ThankYouJiPyeong</p></blockquote></div></div>
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